Locked. This question and its answers are locked because the question is off-topic but has historical significance. It is not currently accepting new answers or interactions.

Presented for your enjoyment-slash-amusement.

Email received by team@stackoverflow.com from Name

Jesus Christ Almighty, what a f***ing mess of a website. I'm trying to post a question. Just the one, you know, f***ing question. So I sign up for an ID and I'm sent an email that doesn't really tell me what to do apart from clicking some link to verify my email address. So far, so f***ing normal. Then I go to post a question and spend ages typing the f***ing thing in. I put in what I think is my Open ID and when I post the question it tells me to f*** off because there's no OpenID connection endpoint (is this a f***ing website or a f***ing COM interface?). Fine! I go back and type in my f***ing name and my email address. Ah! That's for signing up and my email address is already registered. I still can't f***ing post my question.

I knew Neil would be back, but I didn't think it would be this quickly.
– Bill the LizardAug 16 '10 at 2:37

6

I'm intrigued by your ideas and would like to subscribe to your magazine.
– Nick BedfordAug 16 '10 at 2:38

3

I was surprised by how popular meta suddenly was until I realized Jeff tweeted the link to this one :(. Of course now everyone knows they can get a dedicated meta post about themselves by e-mailing team@ with insanity
– Michael MrozekAug 16 '10 at 3:20

10

Dear Mr. Atwood, Please be advised a user on meta.stackoverflow.com who goes by the name "Welbog" has hijacked your email account and is sending profanity-riddled emails to the users of your website. Sincerely, Jon f***ing B.
– user27414Aug 16 '10 at 3:38

I can never log into f***ing myOpenId from Opera, but it works fine with FF.
– Mark HAug 16 '10 at 3:55

But, without the swearing, I understand where he is coming from - It is easy/convenient for techy people, but there are many out there who just do not understand OpenID.

I have now referred a lot of people to the site (Super User) and I sometimes get questions about how to create an account and some people simply do not understand OpenID/SSO, and do not want to give their Google (usually) details to this site as they think you can view/steal their credentials.

...To be fair also, I knew it was safe but I was a tiny bit worried the first time I signed up a year ago and clicked on "trust this site" (or whatever the message was) as this was my first experience at using OpenID... (and at the time, these sites were not as well known!)

It takes a lot of explaining to make a few people understand.

But, I really don't know what else you can do to make it simpler for new users other than offer your own OpenID / easier to use sign up.

Also, it sounds like this guy did have some sort of genuine error, that being said, he went totally the wrong way to get it resolved!

Blame Facebook, etc. for asking for your Google credentials and then proceeding to do evil stuff with them
– Shog9Aug 16 '10 at 3:52

2

According to the FAQ, "Super User is for computer enthusiasts and power users" - a.k.a. "techy people", as you put it. Those who do not understand OpenID or can't even figure out how to click one of the multiple-choice buttons probably shouldn't be logging into the site at all...
– RicketAug 16 '10 at 3:53

8

What do you mean "easy/convenient"? I first had to find an OpenId service to install on my server, and since there wasn't anything decent that integrated with Django, I had to write the f**ing module myself*, before I could create a proper account. I don't mind, but wouldn't exactly call it convenient.
– sthAug 16 '10 at 4:00

@Shog9 Agreed! Some people will type anything, anywhere - others are careful and have a hard time trusting anysite that asks you for a username/password from another site.
– William HilsumAug 16 '10 at 4:04

1

@Ricket - Enthusiasts are (thanks to Google) - "A person who is highly interested in a particular activity or subject." - Not necessarily or always knowledgeable.
– William HilsumAug 16 '10 at 4:06

@sth - ? I stand by what I said there. It is easy/convenient to use the site if you want to. No one told you to set up or use your own service, you could of just as easily set up a Google or other account! (Well done though)
– William HilsumAug 16 '10 at 4:08

@sth: Now that first comment would have made a good complaining mail :D
– Georg FritzscheAug 16 '10 at 4:22

1

@sth: what? You didn't have to build the server first?
– Shog9Aug 16 '10 at 8:29

4

Well you have to sort of agree the idea of OpenID providers is really new and for at least some of the Area51 sites may be an initial hinderance to get the masses to ask questions on the website. If you are visiting SO, SF, or SU, the bar is set high intentionally.
– BrianAug 16 '10 at 11:22

I clicked the log-in link and I got a page saying, "Do you already have an account on one of these sites? You can use that to log on here!" (There follows some thumbnail list of company logos) and then, "Or, manually enter your OpenID - in the HUGE F***** EDIT BOX" (henceforth known as the HFEB), "and click Log in".

So, I type in what I think is my Open ID in the HFEB and it tells me I don't have a connection endpoint. After much p***ing about and an email to Contact Us that was intended to be amusing (and thankfully which did not cause the reader to burst into tears), I click the myOpenID logo thumbnail and it tells me to "Enter your MyOpenID username". I do so and it fills in the HFEB with what looks like a URL. I click Sign In. Progress! I get presented with a page that shows my username, which has now changed from RobinsonT to the URL previously mentioned (yes, the previous page asks for my OpenID username, which is not the same thing as what OpenID thinks my username is). I'm asked to put in my password. It then tells me I don't have an account on Meta Stack Overflow yet. Ok, I get it, this is a different site. I need an account here too. So I click Create Account - and here I am.

In the world of (say) C++ coders, I know the above would not be controversial in terms of usability (my main area of expertise). But for those of us not suffering from autism, for whom the day consists of perhaps only 24 hours, it may all be a bit confusing with our right-brained, left-handed, arty type personalities. Ironically, my original idea was to post a question about C++ templates, which I tend to have the same problem with.

Thankfully, I have now managed to generate a sound conceptual model for how all of this OpenID stuff works.

Ah, the difference between your OpenID username and your MyOpenID username. That was the confusion!
– TRiGNov 29 '10 at 14:54

I've helped users with this same problem before, but the new interface: Do you already have an account on one of these sites? Click the logo to log in with it here: seems to have improved the situation.
– Kevin VermeerNov 30 '11 at 18:39

It concerned boost::bind, boost::mem_fn and boost::function, which I managed to resolve by randomly rearranging bits of code until it compiled. I will get to understanding how it works later.
– user150134Aug 16 '10 at 23:21

From a user interface point of view, why do we put a message such as "Welcome user, Sign out" Instead of something like "Welcome User,Start Using the Website"? I think the first message suggests to the novice users that the correct action after logging in should actually be signing out.